Trenton, New Jersey.A recently adopted law to streamline access to veteran benefits will create a computerized database for veteran separation records at the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
Documents like the DD-214 and NGB-22, which are needed to verify military service and discharge status when submitting an application for benefits, will be centrally stored in the database. Only governmental agencies will be able to access it, and it will only be used to assess veterans’ or their families’ eligibility.
These records may be voluntarily submitted by veterans or their families, even posthumously by a deceased veteran’s close family members. The measure defines a veteran as any person who served in the National Guard, the Reserves, or the U.S. Armed Forces in any state while on active duty.
According to the statement, the database would serve as a central repository for digital versions of veteran separation paperwork, including DD-214 or NGB-22 forms.
To guarantee that documents are utilized solely in accordance with the law, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will establish protocols and manage database access.
Legal protections and security measures
Certain security safeguards are included in the bill. The database will not be subject to common law public records access or the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). If someone misuses the information in the separation documents, they may be charged with disorderly persons and may be punished with fines, jail time, or both.
The government will advertise the database on its official website and encourage veterans and their families in New Jersey to use it in order to increase awareness.
In order to solve a typical issue veterans encounter while trying to access services, the database attempts to minimize document loss and expedite the need for repeated submissions in benefit applications.
